Few items in the kitchen can make life easier than the slow cooker. This helpful tool cuts down on meal prep time without sacrificing on flavor. It works particularly great with chicken to produce succulent chicken thighs and breasts. Best of all, it can produce healthy meals with the right combo of ingredients. Check out a few of these simple, healthy slow cooker chicken recipes for your next meal.
Chicken And The Slow Cooker: A Winning Combo
You can create a complete meal in the slow cooker with some chicken and a few other simple ingredients. One thing that makes it extra easy is that you can use whatever chicken you have on hand. Skinless chicken thighs or lean chicken breasts can all go into the crock pot. The crock pot chicken recipes below specify the chicken cut, but you can always substitute for whatever you have in the fridge.
Should You Brown The Chicken Meat Before?
You don’t need to cook chicken before it goes into the slow cooker. However, searing the outside of raw chicken may improve the flavor of your healthy slow cooker chicken recipes. But, it’s safe to cook raw chicken in the slow cooker so long as it heats up to 165 degrees.1,2
Step-By-Step Healthy Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
Tony Horton tries to optimize his slow cooker recipes for both flavor and nutrition. The best slow-cooked chicken recipes strike that perfect balance between taste, health, and ease. These healthy recipes showcase some of his go-to slow cooker chicken recipes.
Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
Few things satisfy on a cold day like a cup of chicken noodle soup. This slow cooker chicken recipe will scratch that comfort food itch without indulging in fatty, unhealthy foods. This simple recipe is loaded with veggies and hearty chicken broth, which contains beneficial magnesium, calcium, and potassium.3
Chef’s Tip: This is a freezer friendly recipe that you can store in an airtight freezer-safe storage container. But, leave the noodles out of any soup that you plan to freeze. They can get soggy when you reheat the soup, so it’s better to add fresh noodles when reheating.
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 Tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 4 cups egg noodles
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients except the pasta to a slow cooker. Cover and turn onto low heat.
- Cook for 6-8 hours. Remove the chicken breasts from the pot and place on a plate. Pull apart the chicken with two forks and return to the pot.
- Add the noodles. Cover and cook for another 20-30 minutes or until the noodles are soft.
- Serve with your favorite sides, and top with additional herbs, like dill or parsley.
Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
Go big on protein with this healthy, refreshing spin on traditional chili. This slow cooker recipe produces a lighter version compared to other chilis. The beans also provide a healthy, lean protein source plus extra fiber. That helps make the dish both filling and nutritious.4
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, diced
- 1 green pepper, diced
- 1 can green chilis
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs
- 1 can white beans or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup corn, frozen
Instructions
- (Optional) Use 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat to cook the onions for 5-8 minutes until translucent. Then add the pepper, chilis, garlic, and seasonings. Cook for another 2 minutes. Transfer to the crock pot.
- Place the chicken thighs on a plate, and season with salt and pepper. Add to the slow cooker.
- Stir the rest of the ingredients except for the corn into the slow cooker. Place on low and cook for 4 to 6 hours.
- Remove the lid and shred the chicken using two forks. Add the corn and return the lid. Cook for another 15 minutes or until the corn is soft and warm.
- Serve with chopped cilantro or sliced jalapenos.
Stewed Chicken Tacos
Not all slow-cooked chicken recipes need to be eaten with a spoon and a bowl. This delicious taco filling, for example, is a simple recipe that will add some diversity to your crock pot nights. Make it ahead of time for a tasty weeknight dinner. Also, score some healthy bonus points by serving it with some brown rice for extra nutrients and healthy fiber.5
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 onion, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 can fire roasted tomatoes
- 4 chilis from a can of adobo
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a slow cooker. The chicken can go in raw, or you can sear it quickly for a little extra flavor.
- Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Remove the lid and shred the chicken in the stew. Return the lid and cook for another 30 minutes.
- While the chicken finishes, heat up some tortillas in the microwave.
- The finished chicken should have absorbed much of the liquid. If not, serve the chicken onto fresh tortillas with a slotted spoon.
- Add your favorite taco sauce and toppings, like cilantro, green onion, and avocado. Serve with classic sides, like black beans and rice.
Chicken Cacciatore
This chicken dish offers up a delicious and healthy dinner. You can serve it on top of pasta, polenta, or rice. Plus, the leftovers taste great inside of a bread roll for tomorrow’s lunch.
Chef’s Tip: If at any time during cooking your chicken looks dry, add a splash of broth to reinvigorate the dish.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 1 bell pepper, seeds removed and sliced
- ½ cup jarred roasted peppers
- 1 can fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp oregano
- 2 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients into the slow cooker, and stir to combine. Cover, and cook on low for 4-5 hours.
- Remove the lid and pull apart the chicken with two forks. Return the cover and cook for an extra 20 minutes to incorporate the meat and sauce.
- Serve over some whole wheat pasta or your favorite gluten free pasta.
Let Your Slow Cooker Work For You
With just a few pantry staples and a couple of pieces of chicken, you can prepare a tasty weeknight meal with little effort. The dinner recipes above can be prepped in the morning and ready as soon as the workday finishes. There’s no need to order last-minute takeout or to microwave a frozen dinner with these healthy crock pot chicken recipes around. Try a few out for yourself to enjoy the potential health benefits and flavor of a simple, home-cooked meal.
Learn More:
-Two Tasty Recipes For Phytonutrients
-The Perfect Treat: Healthy Protein Ice Cream Recipe
-What to Eat After a Run: Carbs or No Carbs?
Sources
1 https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/food/a579460/slow-cooker-mistake-not-browning-meat/
2 https://www.today.com/food/food-myths-safe-cook-frozen-chicken-crock-pot-t123084
3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5533136/
4 https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-are-the-best-sources-of-protein
5 https://www.health.com/nutrition/is-brown-rice-healthy
